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Ultrasonic wave velocity measurement in concrete using the impact-echo

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Article  in  Insight - Non-Destructive Testing and Condition Monitoring · January 2019

DOI: 10.1784/insi.2019.61.1.15

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 DOI: 10.1784/insi.2018.61.1.XXX
IMPACT-ECHO METHOD

Ultrasonic wave velocity measurement in concrete

using the impact-echo method
V K Kachanov, I V Sokolov, R V Kontsov, S V Lebedev and S A Fedorenko

An ultrasound wave measurement technique suitable for large compact-sized (where measured thickness is
comparable with other dimensions) concrete structures is described. The technique is based on ultrasonic bulk wave
velocity measurement Cl . The Cl value is determined by the correlation method: correlation is established between the
experimental spectral responses of a real sample and the series spectral responses of a finite element model calculated
with different model ultrasonic velocity parameter values Сmod.j . To increase the accuracy of the velocity measurement the
multiplicative correlation method is used: cross-correlation is calculated between the spectral response curves obtained
at different points on the sample and the spectral response curves of the finite element model calculated for the same
points of the model.
Keywords: impact-echo, mechanical strength, non-destructive testing, ultrasonic wave velocity, geometrical dispersion.

1. Acoustic mechanical strength bulk acoustic wave speeds by means of the IE method when the
thickness of the investigated structure is unknown.
measurement methods for concrete Acoustic NDT methods for the measurement of physical and
mechanical characteristics of concrete via ultrasonic wave velocity
The acoustic non-destructive testing (NDT) technique, known
measurement are mostly widespread among others. These methods
as the impact-echo (IE) method, was introduced in the 1980s at
are regulated by state standards[12] and company standards[13]. The
Cornell University by Sansalone[1]. Since then, the apparatus used
methods are based on the strong correlation between ultrasonic
for the IE method has developed rapidly, allowing its widespread
wave velocity values and the mechanical strength of concrete, as
implementation and the adoption of IE testing of plate-like
described by Korobko and Korobko[14].
structures in state standards[2]. Over the past 20 years, the IE
Noted standards define methods of measuring the mechanical
technique has proven to be reliable and fast during the control of
strength of concrete for small samples that are 10-30 cm thick and
large concrete structures, such as slabs, walls and piles.
for large ones during the stage of building construction. Mechanical
A number of papers dedicated to the theory of the IE method
strength measurement of concrete is based on identifying a
have been published[3-5]. One, written by Gibson and Popovics[6],
calibration curve, which shows a dependence between mechanical
described the Lamb bulk wave propagation process in layers and
strength and ultrasonic wave velocity for the particular type of
established a theoretical base for the IE testing of slabs, walls, bridge
concrete. Standard cubic samples are made for this purpose with
decks, etc.
edge lengths of 100 mm, 150 mm or 200 mm. Then, within 28 days
Presently, IE testing is widely used to conduct NDT on slabs,
of casting, ultrasonic wave velocity is measured.
walls and other large and extended structures. The results of
Regulating documents[12,13], as well as[2], recommend determining
successful defect detection in various slabs are described in[7].
the ultrasonic wave velocity in test samples using the through-
Many recent articles are dedicated to the detection and condition
transmission method by measuring the signal arrival time TC in a
assessment of grouted and ungrouted ducts located in concrete
sample with known thickness Н: Сl = Н/TC . Then, samples are tested
structures[8].
for their mechanical strength and correlation is found between
The problem of using IE testing on compact and complex-shaped
the measured velocity and the mechanical strength (Figure 1).
structures is still unsolved despite widespread use of the IE method.
That correlation curve defines the mechanical strength of the
Such structures have complicated eigenfrequency spectra with
concrete sample or construction during maintenance.
many resonant peaks. Moreover, the shape factor β value depends
There is a very high frequency-dependent attenuation of
on the ratio between the measured thickness and other dimensions
ultrasonic waves in concrete due to the absorption and scatter by
of the construction in question. An attempt to implement the IE
inhomogeneous concrete structural elements (gravel pieces); thus,
method to measure the thickness of compact concrete blocks was
regulating documents recommend the use of low frequencies
made by Jording[9].
during ultrasonic wave velocity measurement.
Various techniques are proposed to determine the true
thickness resonant peak among others in complex spectra.
Bouden et al[10] described the implementation of the Hilbert-Huang
l Submitted 05.08.17 / Accepted 09.11.18
transform to IE signal analysis and Jixing et al[11] applied statistical Vladimir K Kachanov, Igor V Sokolov, Roman V Kontsov, Serguei V
analyses based on Grassmann manifold learning. Lebedev* and Serguei A Fedorenko are with the Faculty of Electronics
This paper describes another approach to thickness detection and Nanoelectronics, Moscow Power Engineering Institute (National
in compact and complex-shaped concrete structures based on the Research University), Moscow, Russia.
IE method. The technique combines a multi-channel IE method *Corresponding author. Email: lebedevserv@mpei.ru
and a correlation technique, which allows the measurement of

Insight • Vol 61 • No 1 • January 2019 1

IMPACT-ECHO METHOD

β Cl. pl .......................................... (2)

H=
2 fH
where β is the correction coefficient[14], connected with longitudal
wave velocity dispersion, and depends on the ratio between λ and
the sample dimensions.

Figure 1. Example of the correlation bond between concrete

mechanical strength R and ultrasonic wave velocity C

The ASTM C597 standard recommends using lower frequencies

until the following condition is valid: the ultrasonic wavelength λ
becomes larger than the structural inhomogeneity (gravel pieces),
size D ( λ > D ). Thus, if f = 50 kHz and Сl = 4000 m/s, the ultrasonic
wavelength raises to λ ≈ 80 mm and allows the detection of a signal,
which passes through the concrete sample with gravel filler pieces
of an average size, D ~ 30-40 mm.
Using such low frequencies when measuring cubic articles of
finite size creates errors. The most significant of them is geometrical
speed dispersion, associated with the fact that the ultrasonic
Figure 2. Impact-echo slab measurement scheme, where H is slab
wavelength λ in concrete becomes comparable to test article size H.
thickness (H << a, H << b)
To reduce the geometric velocity dispersion error, measurement of
velocity can be conducted using large articles (Н ~ 1 m). However,
this is not always possible due to extremely high ultrasound For a large-scaled sample, such as a slab, where the thickness H
attenuation in concrete, even with the through-transmission is at least five times less than the width a and length b, the correction
method. coefficient β ≈ 0.97. Similar objects are walls, foundations and
roof beams. While measuring plies, columns and posts, where
the thickness is five or more times greater than other dimensions,
2. Problems of using the impact-echo β ≈ 0.96, as described by Carino et al[15].
technique for ultrasonic wave These methods, based on eigenfrequency measurements, allow
velocity measurement on compact- straightforward control of large-scaled samples only where the
detected thickness resonant frequency value fH easily allows the
sized concrete articles determination of the thickness of a sample. The control of compact-
sized articles (Figure 3(a)), where the thickness in question is
Thickness measurements of concrete samples with a thickness
comparable to the other dimensions (blocks, girders, cylinders,
measuring 1 m or more with one-sided access are conducted using
etc), is impossible due to the complexity of a frequency response
mainly the impact-echo method, although the impact-echo method
and because of the many resonant peaks corresponding to similar
is not suitable for ultrasound structurescopy purposes because it
dimension values (Figure 3(b)), as described by Carino et al[15].
only allows for measuring the thickness of large-scaled articles, not
compact-sized articles.
The impact-echo method is based on the following: a short,
but powerful, mechanical impact is made on the surface of the
investigated article using a steel ball or special impactor. This
impact induces free acoustic fading oscillations, which are
detected by a broadband-receiving transducer located nearby.
The received electric signal is digitised and subjected to spectral
analysis. Eigenmodes and eigenfrequencies are defined by the
analysis of spectral characteristics, as described by Carino et al[15]
and Carino[16]. In cases where the test article is a slab (Figure 2)
and the measured thickness H is much less than other dimensions
(width a >> H, length b >> H), the resonant peak, corresponding to
a slab thickness of fH ~ 1/Н, is clearly defined among many resonant
peaks, corresponding to the width a and the length b, since
fH >> fа and fH >> fb. Using fH , either the thickness H is calculated
(given that the ultrasound speed is known) or the ultrasonic wave
velocity is calculated (given that the thickness H is known): Figure 3. Types of controlled objects: (a) examples of compact-
sized samples; and (b) the common spectral response of a
2 fH H ........................................ (1)
Cl. pl = compact-sized sample
β

2 Insight • Vol 61 • No 1 • January 2019


3. A modified correlation-based
impact-echo method for ultrasound
speed determination in compact-
sized structures
The correlation impact-echo method for concrete structures of known
size and shape was introduced. The method allows the determination
of ultrasonic bulk wave velocity in compact-sized structures[17,18]. In
addition, the technique for determining the ultrasonic wave velocity
is described here for the given concrete sample. Its dimensions are
600 mm × 300 mm × 300 mm. First, the experimental frequency
response of the structure is measured with the impactor placed
on a certain point of the surface. The received frequency response
is shown in Figure 4 using a solid line. Multiple resonant peaks,
common for compact-sized structures, can be observed.
Next, using a finite element simulation, the frequency response of
the model is calculated for the same impact. If it does not correspond
to the real acoustic wave velocity in a given sample (such as that shown
in Figure 4), then the Сmod.j value is consecutively changed. For each of
the Сmod.j values, the frequency response is calculated as a result of theThe acoustic wave velocity versus time characteristics was plotted
simulation. Сmod.j values lie in the expected range of velocities (in the for the sample with dimensions of 400 mm × 300 mm × 155 mm.
given experiment this range was ΔС = 3000 m/s to 4500 m/s, which
is common for concrete). Among the simulated frequency response
curves, the most similar to the real values is then determined.
In the given experiment, the most similar curve was the one
calculated with Сmod.j = 3750 m/s (Figure 5). The similarity between
the experimental and calculated frequency response is defined by
the cross-correlation coefficient r, calculated for multiple frequency
responses with different Сmod.j values versus real frequency responses.
The relationship of the cross-correlation coefficient r versus
velocity values Сl = γСmod.j , shown in Figure 6, does not have a
distinctive maximum, although it is possible to determine the
velocity value Сl = Сmod = 3750 m/s. The disparity between real
and calculated characteristics is caused by the concrete volume
inhomogeneity, gravel distribution, etc.
Figure 4. Calculated spectral response with velocity value Сmod = 3000 m/s (dashed line) and number of resonant frequencies for further
experimental spectral response (solid line) of a 600 mm × 300 mm × 300 mm sample
Figure 5. Match of experimental and calculated frequency response curves with Сmod.j and, thus, scaling the initial spectral
Сmod.j = 3750 m/s
Insight • Vol 61 • No 1 • January 2019
IMPACT-ECHO METHOD
Figure 6. Correlation characteristic r(С) calculated with different
Сmod.j values
4. Acoustic wave propagation
velocity measurement using
the multiplicative-correlation
impact-echo method in compact-
sized concrete samples during
solidification
Obviously, the mechanical structure of concrete changes during
solidification, so the spectral characteristics obtained on the 9th
and 28th days after sample casting vary (see Figure 7). Differences
can lead to changes in the correlation characteristics r(Сl), obtained
on the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 28th days. The multiplicative correlation
technique was proposed to reduce the error of the acoustic wave
velocity measurement as described in[18] and[19]. The method is
based on multiple velocity measurements, with the receiver moved
to various points on the surface of the sample and the multiplication
of partial spectral characteristics.
The experimental results obtained using the multiplicative
correlation measurement method during sample solidification are
shown in Figures 8 to 13.
Spectral characteristics were received using impact-echo
apparatus from Olson Instruments
(Figure 8(a)). The location of the transducer
(impactor and receiver combined) at four
points on the surface of the sample is shown
in Figure 8(b). The dimensions of the
sample were 400 mm × 300 mm × 155 mm.
The impact locations were chosen to
exclude symmetrical points of the sample
with the intention of obtaining the largest
comparison with the simulated frequency
response.
Simultaneously, the spectral response
of the sample was calculated using finite
element analysis at the same impact points
where the experimental characteristics were
obtained. ANSYS software was used for
the finite element simulation. Calculations
were conducted in the following way: the
frequency response with a velocity value
Сmod.j = 4000 m/s was calculated. Then, more
than 1000 spectral characteristics were
calculated by changing the velocity value of
response curve. Velocity values ranged from
3000 m/s to 4000 m/s (see Figure 9).
3
IMPACT-ECHO METHOD
Figure 7. Spectral response curves obtained on the 9th and 28th
days of experimentation with the receiver located at point ‘1’
(Figure 8(b)), normalised to maximum
Figure 8. Impact-echo apparatus and measurement:
(a) experimental wave velocity measurements using a sample
with dimensions of 400 mm × 300 mm × 155 mm; and (b) impact
locations on the sample surface
Figure 9. Spectral response curves calculated with a finite element
model and scaled by changing Сmod.j , normalised to maximum
4 Insight • Vol 61 • No 1 • January 2019
Furthermore, cross-correlation between the experimental and
calculated characteristics was conducted. The cross-correlation
coefficient r versus acoustic wave velocity at four points on the
surface of the test sample (see Figure 8(b)) is shown in Figure 10.
These relationships were obtained on the 9th day after concrete
sample casting. It is clear that the relationships shown in Figure 10
are quite different and only the approximate acoustic wave velocity
value can be determined here (Сl ≈ 3500 m/s).
Such a disparity is common for concrete samples with
inhomogeneous internal structures that cannot be taken into
account during finite element simulation. This causes an uncertainty
with the correlation characteristic maximum position, creating a
velocity measurement error.
To reduce the above-mentioned error, multiplicative processing
was conducted using characteristics obtained at various points
on the surface of the sample[18-20]. The result of the multiplicative
correlation processing is shown in Figure 11. The characteristics
shown have one distinctive maximum, which allows the
determination of the exact acoustic wave velocity on the 9th day
after casting the sample (Сl = 3500 m/s).
Figure 10. Cross-correlation coefficient r versus velocity parameter
Сmod.j at four impact locations on the sample
Figure 11. Ultrasonic wave velocity determination after the
multiplication of the four relationships in Figure 10. The results
were obtained on the 9th day of the experiment
The multiplicative correlation method allowed conducting of
acoustic wave velocimetry in large-scaled test concrete samples
during solidification.
Characteristics k(Сl), obtained during 28 days of experimentation
using the described multiplicative correlation method, are shown in
Figure 12.
Using the maximum position determined for each characteristic
k(Сl), obtained on each day of the observation (see Figure 12), the
behaviour of the acoustic wave velocity value during the sample
solidification was determined, as shown in Figure 13 by the red line.
Simultaneously, the same test sample was subjected to
standard ultrasound velocimetry experiments using the through-
transmission technique with a frequency of 100 kHz and the results
are shown in Figure 13 as a blue line. The results agree very well, thus
confirming the legitimacy of the proposed multiplicative correlation
impact-echo method for determination of the mechanical strength
of the concrete sample.

Figure 12. Multiplicative correlation characteristics obtained
during 28 days of experimentation
Figure 13. Ultrasonic wave velocity versus time. Comparison of
the multiplicative correlation method and through-transmission
method results
5. Conclusions concrete by frequency spectrum analysis of impact-echo
The study shows that use of the multiplicative correlation
impact-echo method allows for accurate acoustic wave velocity
determination in compact-sized concrete samples via one-sided
access and, in such a manner, accurate determination of the
mechanical strength of concrete.
Acknowledgements
The article is prepared at fulfilment of state task 9.7168.2017/6.7 to
educational organisations of higher education, subordinated to the
Ministry of Russia.
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